Everest Base Camp

You arrive at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, where you are met by a representative from our team and driven to your hotel. After check-in, the rest of the day is free to relax, recover from the journey and prepare for the trek. Later in the evening we gather for an informal welcome dinner.

The day begins with a complete briefing of the trek. After any additional shopping and lunch, we walk through Thamel, Kathmandu's tourist area, continuing to Asan Bazaar and Kathmandu Durbar Square before proceeding to Swayambhunath Stupa. Here we walk a kora together with local pilgrims as they perform their evening prayers.

Asan is Kathmandu's historical, cultural and commercial center, where you get to experience the city's everyday life up close. This ancient marketplace consists of a network of narrow alleys filled with temples, monasteries and small shops selling everything from spices and kitchen utensils to clothes, vegetables, meat, dried beans and local delicacies.

Kathmandu Durbar Square is a dense area with old palaces, courtyards and beautifully carved temples that was once the center of royal ceremonies. Here you'll find among others the Hanuman Dhoka Palace and Kumari Ghar.

Swayambhunath, also called the Monkey Temple, is one of Nepal's most iconic temples. It sits on a hill west of the city and is known for its prayer flags and the characteristic eyes painted on the stupa. From here you also have one of the best views over Kathmandu and the valley. After a day filled with cultural impressions, you go to bed, as tomorrow already begins towards Everest.

The day starts very early with departure to Manthali Airport (about 4-5 hours drive) for the flight to Lukla, the gateway to the Everest region. Direct flights between Kathmandu and Lukla may occur depending on season, weather and air traffic. During high season, flights often go via Manthali to avoid congestion and long waiting times in Kathmandu.

The trek to Phakding starts directly from the airport and takes about 3-4 hours. You follow an easy trail that gradually descends towards the river, with a shorter steep climb at Tarhe Khola where you get a nice view of Kusum Kangru (6,369m). After another short climb you reach the village of Ghat, and after about 1.5 hours more walking you arrive at Phakding where you overnight at the trip's first tea house.

After crossing a wobbly but safe suspension bridge over Dudh Kosi, the trek is relatively pleasant with some shorter uphill and downhill sections, while you have magnificent views of Thamserku (6,808m).

From the village of Benkar you cross the river again via a long suspension bridge and continue along the trail together with other trekkers, porters and dzos (a cross between yak and cow) until you reach the village of Monjo, which lies near the entrance to Sagarmatha National Park.

After a short walk from Monjo you enter the national park where your permit is checked. Then you continue to Jorsalle, the last village before Namche Bazaar. The trek follows the river to the last bridge over Imja, after which a longer climb awaits up to Namche Bazaar.

Along the way you get views of Kwangde Peak, Kusum Kangru and eventually also Everest, Lhotse and Nuptse. The last hours go through winding paths up to Namche Bazaar, which lies beautifully in a natural amphitheater.

Namche Bazaar is the Khumbu region's main trading post and is known for its lively market. Here traders from the lowlands meet Tibetan yak caravans.

Namche lies nestled between two ridges amid Khumbu's mighty peaks and offers a wide range of lodges, tea houses and small shops, as well as a fantastic view. It's an ideal place for a rest day to acclimatize the body to altitude before continuing towards Tengboche.

As part of the acclimatization process, you take a morning trek following the principle "climb high, sleep low". You trek up to Syangboche (3,800m), where the Everest View Hotel is located. From here you get, in clear weather, outstanding views of Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Ama Dablam, Thamserku and Kusum Kangaru.

Then you return to Namche for lunch and have the afternoon free. Those who wish can take a short but steep trek up to Sagarmatha National Park headquarters, which lies above Namche Bazaar. Here there's a viewpoint with panoramic views over the valley and surrounding snow-covered mountains, as well as a museum with information about the Himalayas' history, geography, culture, climbing and the region's flora and fauna.

The trail goes high above Dudh Kosi and offers classic Himalayan views before you descend steeply to Phunki Tenga. After lunch awaits a longer climb through forest of rhododendron and fir up to Tengboche.

Here lies the monastery which is the spiritual center of Khumbu, with a spectacular backdrop of Ama Dablam, Everest, Nuptse and Lhotse.

You start by descending through forest to Deboche, cross the Imjatse river and then continue gradually up through Pangboche and Shomare, with ever closer views of Ama Dablam.

When you turn east under the mountain's north wall, the landscape opens up into the vastness of the Imja valley, with Lhotse and Nuptse dominating the horizon. Dingboche consists of stone-walled fields and traditional lodges.

This is your last acclimatization day. You can choose between a more demanding trek up Nangkartshang Peak (5,083m), where you get extensive views over Makalu, Lhotse, Island Peak and Ama Dablam, or a calmer trek up through the Imja valley to Chhukung (4,730m).

The afternoon is set aside for rest and recovery.

You trek north through open alpine landscapes with views of Tawache, Ama Dablam and Nuptse's wall. After lunch in Thukla awaits a steep climb up to the climbers' memorial sites at Dongla Pass (4,620m), a reminder of high-altitude climbing's risks.

Then you follow the Khumbu glacier to Lobuche for rest and overnight stay.

Today is the big day. You start early and follow the trail along the Khumbu glacier towards Everest Base Camp. The path goes over rocky moraines and frozen streams, with constantly changing views of Pumori, Nuptse and Khumbu Icefall.

Once at Base Camp you see the climbers' tents spread across the glacier and hear the ice masses moving in Everest's shadow. After experiencing the place and its dramatic surroundings, you trek back to Gorakshep for overnight stay, with magnificent views of the mountains in evening light.

You start at dawn and follow the well-known ridge up to Kala Patthar, the classic viewpoint for Everest. The climb is steady but exposed, and with each step the view opens up more until the entire Everest massif spreads out before you.

From the summit you see the morning light color Nuptse, Lhotse and Everest in an almost surreal glow. Then you descend to Gorak Shep for breakfast before continuing back the same way towards Pheriche, where the Himalayan Rescue Association's aid station is located.

You leave Pheriche and trek down over open alpine landscapes with wide views back towards Tawache and Cholatse. As you lose altitude the landscape becomes softer and the trail goes through yak pastures and seasonal settlements.

You pass Pangboche, one of the oldest Sherpa villages in Khumbu, where stone houses are clustered around mani walls and chortens. Here is also the region's oldest monastery, believed to date from the 16th century and plays an important role in local spirituality.

Phortse is a traditional Sherpa village known for having nurtured many Everest climbers. It's less visited than Namche and Tengboche and has a calmer and more genuine atmosphere. This detour from the normal route makes the return journey even more interesting.

The day begins with a steep descent from Phortse through forest of rhododendron and pine, where the air becomes noticeably warmer the further down you come.

You cross suspension bridges over Dudh Kosi and trek further up to Mongla Pass, a viewpoint with views of Ama Dablam, Thamserku and Tengboche monastery in the distance.

Then you continue down towards Namche Bazaar where you stop for lunch and have time to reflect on the journey. After Namche you follow the trail back along the river through Jorsalle and into the national park's buffer zone before reaching Manjo where you overnight.

You now follow the same trail back to Lukla, through forests, over suspension bridges and past the villages you passed at the beginning of the trip. After meeting the world's highest mountain, it often feels like a long time since you passed here. As you approach Lukla, the feeling of having accomplished something great sets in, while memories from the landscapes you've trekked through remain.

Once in Lukla you can celebrate the completed trek with a warm shower and something good to drink.

Early in the morning you fly to Manthali (about 15-20 minutes) and then continue by car to Kathmandu (about 4-5 hours). Direct flights between Lukla and Kathmandu may occur depending on season, weather and air traffic. During high season, flights often go via Manthali to avoid delays.

You arrive early in the afternoon and have the rest of the day free to relax at the hotel, explore the city or engage in shopping and sightseeing.

The day begins calmly with some free time before you go northeast of the city for a guided tour to the UNESCO World Heritage sites Boudhanath and Pashupatinath.

Boudhanath is one of the most important religious and cultural centers for the Tibetan exile population in Nepal and one of the world's largest Buddhist stupas. The streets around the stupa are filled with monks, monasteries, shops and prayer ceremonies.

Pashupatinath is Nepal's most important Hindu temple and one of the most significant Shiva temples on the Indian subcontinent. Here is also Kathmandu's main cremation site along the river.

You are driven to Tribhuvan International Airport for your onward journey home, and the end of your Himalayan adventure.